The Cloak by Leon Garfield
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The story, which starts in London on a snowy New Year's Day, is about two friends who are apprentices to pawnbrokers. Amos Coot, a sixteen year old in the fourth year of his apprenticeship, works for Mr. Thompson – Personal Banking on Moderate Terms. Jeremiah Snipe is apprentice to Mr Long – Loans arranged for Modest Security.
The two friends have been left in charge of their respective shops by their employers who have gone away to the country for the festive period. Both apprentices have been trained by ruthless employers. In Mr Thompson's words ' A pawner is a man in difficulties and a man in difficulties is a man in despair. Despair makes a man untrustworthy, it turns him into a liar, a swindler, a cheat'. He maintains that they always tell you they will return to redeem their item - that it is only a loan they are having. 'But like tomorrow, they never come' he adds 'So you watch out!'
Amos Coot's first customer on that snowy morning was an ageing actor trying to pawn a pair of breeches. Whilst the actor was jolly and in a joking mood Amos remained reserved and aloof. Knowing that a customer wouldn't be there unless they were desperate to raise some money, they always offered as little as they could. Having offered a meagre sum, Amos would then say 'Try Mr Long's in 'enrietta Street. P'raps my colleague, Mister Jeremiah Snipe might up me a penny or two. On the other 'and, 'e might down me a sixpence. Go on. Shove off and try Mister Jeremiah'. This appears to have been before the days of customer service training! The customer almost always, fearing a lower offer, reluctantly had to accept the pittance.
His second customer tried to pawn a lice ridden wig but was sent packing and his third pawned her petticoat hoops but it was with his fourth shop visitor that his troubles began. A gipsy appeared wanting to pawn her father's cloak, a quality item, made of silk with a fur collar and a violet lining. The gipsy wanted two silver pounds, Amos Coot offered her five shillings. He complained about the quality of the cloak, pointed out its faults and generally insulted the gipsy whilst trying to agree a price. Eventually, after threatening her with the police, she reluctantly had to accept his paltry offer. She insisted on a receipt as she intended to redeem the cloak....soon.
Unbeknown to their employers, Amos and Jeremiah were running a profitable business of their own. Amos, having accepted the cloak and paid out five shillings then took the cloak to Jeremiah's shop and pawned it with him for six pounds, sharing the difference between themselves.
A riotous night out in London followed during which copious amounts of alcohol were consumed. Having unsteadily made their way home they found a stranger outside Mr. Thompson's shop. This stranger had a receipt which he wanted to redeem. Amos told the stranger, in no uncertain terms, that they were shut and to come back tomorrow. The stranger stood his ground and said he had come for the cloak which had been stolen from him. Having tried all the delaying tactics he could, with Jeremiah panicing behind him and the stranger threatening the law, he had to return the cloak. Now they had a problem, no cloak and no money to repay their respective employers. How were they going to lay their hands on six pounds within the next couple of days? Both had to pawn their treasured possessions, Amos his watch and Jeremiah his christening mug. Both knew that they couldn't give over the odds for these items as all transactions would be scrutinized by their respective employers upon their return so they had to pawn some of their clothes as well. They saw each other in a different light after this episode and their friendship ended abruptly as a result.
The story didn't end there though, there was a twist at the end. Amos learnt that night that you can't trust your friends and you can't trust strangers either.........
Leon Garfield used London in many of his books for children and many were set in the Victorian era. His knowledge of the city is reflected in his detailed descriptions of the various areas and its inhabitants. I thought this story had a lot of amusing snippets and interesting details and was beautifully illustrated in black and white by Faith Jaques. This may have been the first Leon Garfield book I have read but I'm sure it won't be the last!
Contributed by Lorna
(Published 5th Mar 2015)
